Every year, Deutsche Messe AG presents the Hermes Award to a company whose product or solution demonstrates a particularly high degree of technical innovation. Only technology solutions that have already been tried and tested in industry are considered. The jury, chaired by Prof. Reimund Neugebauer, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, has now nominated three candidates for the Hermes Award 2022 (in alphabetical order):

Bosch Rexroth, Lohr am Main: The nominated project "ctrlX Core" is a flexible, compact, modular and app-based control platform that is based on the Linux real-time operating system and is freely configurable. This makes it easier for companies to automate processes because the use of standards and end-to-end web-based engineering makes in-house software installations superfluous. This lowers the entry barrier to PLC programming. Further advantages result from the integration of third-party apps and the possibility of integrating AI.

Harting, Espelkamp: The nominee was the Han-Modular Domino Module industrial connector, a further development of the existing standard, consisting of two modules that can be flexibly combined via an interlocking system. The connector system transmits power, signals, data or compressed air. For the first time, electrical and pneumatic systems can be transmitted in a single module, which reduces the number of required plug connections, installation space and weight. Further savings result from shorter assembly times.

Sumitomo Cyclo Drive Germany, Markt Indersdorf: The nominated product "Tuaka" is a completely integrated drive for robot applications and automation technology. The gearbox, the motor and the driver with safety functions are new. Thanks to its sensor technology and thermal management, the product is suitable for precise, sensitive applications in service robotics and for interaction with humans. The modular concept and the modular systems enable application-specific configuration of the necessary hardware.